making up

I'm grateful for a understanding wife that will still speak with me after I get upset with her or say things that are not very nice and shouldn't be said out of frustration. I'm grateful for the opportunity to make up later. :)

memories

isn't the mind an amazing thing? i mean, the fact that i can remember what it was like to be in kindergarten with mrs. henderson and the really tiny bathroom stalls, or that i feel like it was just yesterday that i was sick, laying on the floor with my pink horsey blanket and marisa let me play with her my little pony and strawberry shortcake and it meant the world to me. sometimes the details are so crisp. other times it's just the feeling that is familiar. i am amazed how a smell can jog the mind and bring back an entire conversation or situation. some days i hang on my memories, hoping they can get me through whatever it is i'm dealing with. other days i want to forget some of those memories. i am thrilled we have the ability to keep memories alive. the key is to remember. looking at pictures, spending time with loved ones, talking with family. i'm spending my time remembering today. and i'm thankful i have the memories.

life

life is fragile. you can be sailing along without a care in the world and the next minute your sail can fall and leave you regretting you didn't do that extra little bit of visiting, story telling, photo taking, just being. my sweet grandpa passed away today. i am sad. sad for my dad. sad for my grandma. sad that i didn't take the many opportunities to spend more time with him. today is full of regret. it is also full of lessons learned. i hope to focus on the lessons and not get caught up in the 'should haves' that i can't get out of my mind. i'll be hugging my kids a little tighter and taking the time to listen closer. i am thankful for life, and for the difficult lessons it gives me that help to make me better.

freedom

i am thankful for freedom. i am thankful for our founding fathers who fought for this freedom so that i can raise a family how i choose. i am thankful i can choose what i want to believe. and how i live. and where i live. and who i am. and what i think. and what i say. i am thankful to those who continue to fight for my freedom. and to their families. i am thankful for freedom.

happy birthday blog

blog is 1 year old today. who would have thought i'd really get so into this whole blog thing? it's been a fun way to capture memories - good and bad. here's to another year of sharing our lives with the world.

carving pumpkins

after picking the perfect pumpkins at the pumpkin patch (you can read about that here) we decided - ok, so I decided - when mike got home from his week away for work he could help the kids with carving. really, no explanation necessary. this once again proves that luke is a strange child. so happy he's mine.

my vacuum sucks

...and not in the good 'i want a vacuum that really sucks up dirt' way. so, i need a new vacuum. i don't think the hoover windtunnel from 8 years ago is doing much for my carpet. except for leaving nice vacuum marks that makes me feel like it's clean. only i know it's not. so, any suggestions? what vacuum to you have and do you like it? here's one i've been looking at:

good price. and i trust costco. but really, any tips?